Water sport device



XR 3,435,471 5R i l u; A,

April 1, 1969 R. B. BRENNEN, .1R 3,435,471

WATER SPORT DEVI CE Filed March lO, 1967 I NVENTOR.

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ghnnulu www April 1, l969 R. B. DRENNEN, JR 3,435,471

WATER SPORT DEVICE Filed Maron lo, 1967 sheet 2 of 2 States Y 3,435,471 WATER SPORT DEVICE Ralph B. Brennen, Jr., 2408 Regent Lane, Birmingham, Ala. 35226 Filed Mar. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 622,207 Int. Cl. A63c 15/00, 5/00; B601) 3/32 ILS. Cl. 9-310. 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention In water sports a variety of devices, such as water skis, aquaplanes, and the like have been devised to enable a person to be towed along the surface of the water behind a boat. All of these devices embody certain objectionable features, a principal one being that their size and shape 4make `them diicult to store' away aboard the boat when not in use. Furthermore, water skis in particular require much more power when starting than when underway.

I have devised a water sport device having as a principal object to overcome the above and other difficulties.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character indicated in which the rider is supported in part on Water and in part on air..-

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character indicated upon which the rider may assume various positions, such as lying, sitting, kneeling; standing and so on.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character indicatedwhich can be safely -used without prolonged training or practice, thus being suitable for children as well as adults.

A. still further object ofrny invention is to provide a device of the -character indicated which may be ridden by more than one person at a time.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a device of the character-indicated which is inexpensive, durable, and adaptable to various designs depending upon the degree of experience of the rider and the type of use to "which the device may be put.

Features of my invention are illustrated in the accorn- 4 panying drawin-gs, for-ming a part of this application, in Which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view showing my water sport device towed by a boat;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view ofgone embodiment of my invention with a rider being towed thereon;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental detail view showing a modified form of the water pockets;

FIG. 6 is a fragmental detail view showing another form of the water pockets;

FIG. 7 is a fragmental end elevational view of the modification shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of my invention in use and showing a rider in position thereon;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8;

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Patented Apr. 1, 1969 i "t, Q

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10 towing vehicle or motor boat B to `vvml'riglris attached..

the -usualwtow line mflfmfuor lllng water borne devices.

Ifile towed ve mhin improv'dwa er sportdevicend is indicated""generally` by the'f"niinnefalV 10`.1A"ri`der vR is1 ,supported thereon. improved vwater sport device comprises a Asheet of exible material such as closely woven canvas. As shown at 11 in FIGS.v 2 and 3, the forwardmost end of the ilexible sheet is doubled over and secured by a seam indicated at 12, thus to provide a transverse pocket 13. A rigid board-like member 14 fits in pocket 13, as shown. One or more holes 16 are provided adjacent the ends of the member 14 whereby various lines, such as the tow line T may be secured to the device. The tow line is prefer- `:lilly divided .into two lines adjacertl'fiidwthirm the member S14 then up through the hole 16, where the end is knotted as at 15. The member 14 may be provided with shoulders 17 to restrain outward movement of the member 14. A line 18 may be secured to the member 14 to provide a ygrip for the rider.

In order to provide a more stable platform for support of the rider one or more longitudinal pockets 19 may be provided on the -underside of the sheet. Preferably the pockets 19 have large openings at their forwardmost ends as shown at 21 and may have small openings 22, at their rearmost ends. Thus, upon forward movement of the device, water enters the large, forwardly directed openings 21 and passes out of the pockets 19 through the restricted, smaller openings 22. Since the openings 21 are larger than openings 22 the pockets expand due to ilow of water through them as shown in FIGS. 4 and l0, tending to for'm cylinders of water, and therefore provide quite rigid supports similar to the pockets of an inflated air mattress. The small openings 22 are not necessary to expand the pockets, but serve to reduce drag. The pockets also serve to hold the flexible sheet against the surface of the water as well as add rigidity, aridi-.thus stabilize the device. Further stabilizing effect may beobtained by providing openings 22a at the sides of they outermost pockets 19, as shown in FIG. 5. Water passing out the side openings 22a imparts a lateral thrust to the device thereby enhancing its directional stability.

The pockets 19 may be formed by doubling the sheet 10 at its rearmost end and securing the doubled portion, indicated at'20 in FIG. 4 with longitudinal seams 23, as shown. The forward end is left open to provide openings 21, while slits are made at the rear to provide openings 22. Reinforcing seams 24 may be provided adjacent openings 22. Instead of reinforcing seams 24 as shown in FIG. 3, grommets 24a may be provided to strengthen the outlet ends of the pockets 19, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

While I have shown pockets 19 provided adjacent the rear of the sheet 10 in FIGS. 2 and 3, such pockets may -be provided in other positions, for instance as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 13. In FIGS. 8 and 9 I show a pocket 19a adjacent each side of the sheet 10 and spaced forwardly of pockets 19 adjacent the rear of the sheet 10. In this embodiment the pockets 19a hold the edges of the sheet 'itl against the surface of the water, while air entering under forward edge of the sheet billows it; upwardly in the center as indicated at Z6, FIG. 8.

In FIG. 13 I show a series of pockets 19b spaced for wardly of the pockets 19 adjacent the rear of the sheet 10 thus to provide a second support Surface. Therefore the configuration of FIG. 13 is adapted to support more than one rider, and is made somewhat longer than the other configurations shown.

Other configurations than those shown are possible, these Ibeing merely representative to show the adaptan bility of the basic structure. Hence, a very skilled and athletic rider might Prefer to have no stabilizing pockets. as shown in FIG. 12, whereas a less skilled rider would choose the configurations of FIGS. 2 and 3 or FIGS. 8 and .9. Furthermore. it should be noted that the pockets 19 may be opened to the air, whereby the platform effect is obtained by expanding the pockets with air instead of water.

In FIG. 8 I show the rider R kneeling forward on the sheet 10 and gripping the leading edge of the sheet, thus dispensing with the grip line 18.

In FIGS. 1l and 15 I show modifications of my inven tion specifically adapted to support the rider in standing position. As shown in FIG. 1l a transverse pocket 28 is provided intermediate the ends of the sheet 10. A stifener member 29 may be inserted in the pocket 28. In use the rider is supported in standing position by the member 29 while he holds the grip lines 18. The member 29 may be inherently buoyant. In FIG. l I show a ropelike mem- 'ber 31 secured transversely on the upper surface of the sheet intermediate the ends thereof thereby forming a heel stop. Thus a standing rider positions his heels against the member 31 for support.

FIG-t i4 illustrates my improved water sport device with a tapered forward portion 32. One or more grommets 33 may be provided adjacent; the forward end for securing the tow and grip lines,

When my improved device is not in use member I4 may be removed from its pocket and the sheet 1t) compactly folded. If member 29 is provided, it too may be removed from its pocket. The board-like members 1 4 and 29 are relatively short as compared to water skis, and they are flat and therefore store easily.

I have used a. device constructed in accordance with my invention of 18 ounce duck cloth approximately 6% feet long and 3 feet wide towed at speeds of from approxi'- mately 5 to 30 mph. operation of this device is enztirely satisfactory.

From, the foregoing it is seen that I have devised a new and improved water sport device adapted to skim over the water surface. It provides sport and exercise similar to that provided by Waterskiing. Less power is required. when starting because the rider floats near the surface of the water and is not pulled. up out of the water as with water skis. There is suicient drag to stop the device quickly when the boat stops, but not so much as to re quire excessive power when under way. When stopped the rider free to float at the surface of the waters and he does :not have to remove skis, etc. before getting aboard i the boat. The device is adaptable to provide sport. for lboth the unskilled and the highly skilled rider. It is ineX-l pensive, durable and stores easily.

What I il. A water sport device comprising'.1

(a) a sheet of flexible material of a Size to support a person, when said sheet is pulled over the surface of the waters (b) at least one longitudinally elongated pocket pro-l vided on the underside of said flexible sheet.

(c) there being an opening adjacent the forward end. of said pocket whereby when pulled over the water said pocket becomes lled thereby adding rigidity to tthe sheet, and

(d) means to connect said sheet to a towing vehicle whereby the sheet may be pulled along the surface of the water at a speed to cause the same to skim over the surface.

2. A water sport device as defined in claim .l in which a second opening is provided adjacent the rearward end, of each pocket, whereby drag on the device is reduced and the directional stability thereof is enhanced.

3. A Water sport device as defined in claim 2 in which said second. opening is smaller than the first mentioned opening.

4. A water sport device as defined in claim 1 in which said means to connect said sheet to a towing vehicle com prises,

(a) a tow line adapted for attachment to the towing vehicle.,

(bjma transverse pocket formed adjacent the forward end of said sheet.

(c) a rigid member carried in said pocket and having portions extending outwardly of the sides of said sheet, and

(d) means to attach the tow line to said rigid member,

outwardly nf the sheet.

5'. A. water sport device as defined in claim 1 in which a stitener member is transversely secured intermediate the ends of said sheet; to provide a support surface for a rider to stand on.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS s4-isos 2.986.751 amers FOREIGN PATENTS 4.1*1935 Great Britain. 6./'1964 Switzerland.

US. Cl. E14-M235 

